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It’s finally done – after the endless discussions of permutations and playoffs, England secured their passage to the 2014 World Cup finals with a 2-0 win against Poland at Wembley on Tuesday.
But here’s where the real fun starts – just who does Roy Hodgson take to Brazil?
It’s clear to every man and his dog that the ‘Golden Generation’ has had their day, with Steven Gerrard and Wayne Rooney the only starters from the side that was humiliated in a 4-1 defeat by Germany at the last World Cup in South Africa four years ago, and fans have eventually accepted that Jules Rimet trophy will not be nestling snugly in the arms of a John Terry or Rio Ferdinand.
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But as an old day passes, a new one arrives. Of particular hope for Three Lions fans will be new recruit Andros Townsend, who has starred in his first two starts – including a superb goal against Montenegro on Friday night.
The decision to start the 22-year-old Tottenham winger was a bold one by Hodgson, who is perhaps now sensing that England’s best chances of success next summer may be in maximising their attacking potential given the relative lack of quality in defence.
The fearlessness shown by Townsend was a breath of fresh air given the alarming loss of confidence from many a seasoned professional every time the white jersey is seemingly pulled on in recent years.
So with a national squad in flux and the Premier League looking to be the most exciting title race in years, there’s plenty of time for the youngsters to prove themselves to the manager if they want to make the final 23 – here are some of the top contenders…
Andros Townsend
Just two games ago, the Spurs winger had yet to play a single minute for the national side – and now the prospect of him missing out on the plane to Brazil is virtually unthinkable, given how he seized his chance with such aplomb.
The 22-year-old has made six appearances for Tottenham in the Premier League this season, and while he has yet to score or assist, he is Spurs’ second-highest rated midfielder on Performance Score with 207, only behind Mousa Dembele on 291.
He has created nine chances and has an average passing accuracy of 81%, while he has attempted a massive 48 take-ons, completing an impressive 33 (69%). Townsend has won the Best Attack award on three occasions, and if he can continue to show the same kind of direct flair and shooting ability from range, Hodgson will have a winger that has pretty much everything to his game.
The only question is whether Townsend can keep up this form throughout the season.
Ross Barkley
Spoken about in the same breath as Wayne Rooney by David Moyes two weeks ago, it’s clear that big things lie ahead for Ross Barkley.
The 19-year-old is fast making Evertonians forget about the loss of Marouane Fellaini to Manchester United, and in his seven league appearances so far this season, he’s done enough to suggest that Hodgson should be making his way to Goodison Park a fair few times this season.
With two impressive goals and nine chances created, Barkley’s offensive threat is a huge bonus when allied to his defensive abilities; the midfielder has won 71% of his duels including eight of ten tackles, as well as a superb take-on rate of 29/39 (74%).
With an average pass accuracy of 88%, if Hodgson has question marks over Frank Lampard’s defensive discipline or Michael Carrick’s attacking potency, then Barkley could well be a perfect holding partner to Gerrard in the middle.
Ravel Morrison
Ravel Morrison
Upon Morrison’s move from Old Trafford to Upton Park after a series of controversies in Manchester, Sir Alex Ferguson told Sam Allardyce: “I hope you can sort him out, because if you can he’ll be a genius.”
The combustible 20-year-old was said to have been United’s most promising youth player in years, yet his volatile nature saw him squander the many chances the Premier League champions afforded him. Yet we are perhaps now beginning to see the rich promise of Ravel Morrison at West Ham, after he spectacularly netted in the surprise 3-0 rout at Tottenham.
Two goals and three chances created for a struggling Hammers side suggest he will see plenty more game time this season if he keeps his head; a tackle success rate of 5/6 (83%) and an average of two defensive actions per game (including seven interceptions) also highlight his heightened sense of positional discipline, and taking him as an unknown quantity could certainly have an appeal for Hodgson given the predictability of England during recent tournaments.
There is no doubting Morrison’s quality, but as Tuesday’s ridiculous on-field bust-up with England team-mate Wilfried Zaha showed, it is perhaps too early to expect more from Morrison.
On talent alone, Ravel would undoubtedly be pushing for a starting place in Brazil, yet given the pressure and importance of the situation, he looks like a red card waiting to happen against experienced opponents.
Steven Caulker
It’s not often that a newly-promoted side parts with £8.5million for a 21-year-old – much less a centre-back – but Cardiff City may well have a future England starter on their hands in Steven Caulker.
The Bluebirds sit a respectable 14th in the Premier League, and have only conceded nine goals in seven games – a good record for a team coming up to the top-flight. The former Tottenham defender left White Hart Lane for regular football, and is flourishing – he is Cardiff’s top performer so far with a Performance Score of 154.
Given the absence of Rio Ferdinand and John Terry on the international scene, the centre-back spots are very much up for grabs; while Phil Jagielka and Gary Cahill are seasoned professionals, there is every chance that Caulker could make a spot in the team – let alone a squad role – his own with a good season for Cardiff – though he will have to improve on his duel win rate of 57% to stand a realistic chance.
It’s unlikely Hodgson will entrust a vital starting role to a youngster not playing in the Champions League, yet Caulker has all the skills needed to make the grade.
Adam Lallana
One name that may not be spoken loudly in England circles is Adam Lallana, Southampton’s 25-year-old captain. However, a good season with a strong Saints outfit could well nudge him into Hodgson’s plans for his 23-man squad.
A goal and an assist in seven games is a respectable return, and 11 chances created marks him out as Southampton’s chief creative player so far.
As well as his eye for a key pass, an average of three defensive actions per game and 11/12 tackles won, his combative presence would allow the likes of Rooney, Daniel Sturridge and Danny Welbeck the freedom to roam in forward positions.
However, with an overall pass completion rate of just 73%, Lallana will have to drastically improve his accuracy to be considered for an orchestrating role – he finished the last campaign with 81%, so it’s likely he’ll pick up the pace.
The 25-year-old was called up for the Ukraine qualifier in September but did not feature, so Hodgson is certainly aware of his talents.
With Lampard ageing and the centre of the park still relatively undecided, now may finally be the time for Lallana to step forward and realise his ambitions.
